Choice
by WildFire42
Summary: Birchfrost watches her sister fall in love, and vows that she will never have a mate... until she begins having feelings for another cat herself. But these new emotions make her more confused than ever, and she feels like she has no one to turn to. Lame summary, I know. Let me know what you think!
1. Chapter 1

"Let all cats old enough to swim gather in the clearing," Birchpaw heard Snowstar yowl from where she was clearing moss out of the warrior's den. She glanced up at her sister. Morningpaw's green eyes shone with excitement.

"Do you think…" Birchpaw began, and Morningpaw finished her sentence.

"We're getting our warrior names!" She abandoned her moss and bounded towards the clearing, Birchpaw close behind. They skidded to a stop when they saw the rest of the clan gathered in front of Snowstar. The thin white tom looked at them affectionately. Petalstripe, his deputy, ran over to her kits.

"Look at you, Morningpaw! You're filthy!" She tried to groom the dust out of her daughter's fur, but she ducked away.

"Petalstripe! Not in front of everybody!" Morningpaw hissed, and Birchpaw couldn't help but purr in amusement.

"How long are you planning to keep us waiting?" Snowstar called, and a ripple of laughter went through the group. Petalstripe stood back with pride shining from her face. Snowstar padded forward and stopped in front of Birchpaw. She could barely keep herself from bouncing with anticipation. She could feel Morningpaw squirm excitedly beside her, their gray tabby pelts brushing.

"Birchpaw and Morningpaw," he meowed, looking down at them. "As your mother is my deputy, I've watched you grow from kits." He glanced up at all of RiverClan gathered in the clearing. "I think you all remember the day they were born." Birchpaw saw the warriors nodding sadly, thinking of how Blacktail had been killed that day by a monster on the Thunderpath. Birchpaw glanced at Petalstripe and saw the sorrow in her mother's eyes. "But even as we lost one great warrior that day, his mate gave birth to two kits, who will today receive their own warrior names.

"Birchpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Birchfrost." Pride exploded in Birchfrost's stomach, and she sat even taller. "And Morningpaw will now be called Morningshade."

"We're warriors!" Morningshade burst out, unable to keep quiet. Snowstar and Petalstripe purred as they turned their heads to the sky and yowled their warrior names. The rest of the clan took up the chant.

"Morningshade! Birchfrost!"

Birchfrost felt love for her entire clan swell inside her. _I'll do anything for them, _she thought, and hoped her father was watching from StarClan.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey Birchfrost," Minnowfur called as he was leaving the warrior's den. Birchfrost stopped and waited for her old mentor to catch up with her. The sound of her warriors name still sent thrills coursing through her, even though it had been a moon since the ceremony. "I never really got the chance to congratulate you as much as you deserved." He purred as they walked side-by-side. "You were such a good apprentice. You never did anything wrong, and worked so hard."

"I wouldn't have been a good apprentice if I hadn't had such a wonderful mentor," Birchfrost glanced at him. "Although you're probably praising me so much because you have to deal with Bouncepaw."

Minnowfur groaned good-naturedly. "Don't remind me." Bouncepaw was Minnowfur's new apprentice, clumsy and hyper, though eager to learn. Birchfrost often felt exhausted just by watching him run around.

"Snowstar was telling me that he's letting you and your sister come to the Gathering tonight."

"Really?" Birchfrost asked. "I can't wait to tell Morningshade! Have you seen her lately?"

"She's on patrol with Snakeheart and Grasspelt," he answered. "While she's gone, do you want to come hunting with me and Bouncepaw? It will give you practice for your first apprentice."

Birchfrost nodded, and Minnowfur went to get Bouncepaw, who was still asleep in the apprentice's den. As she waited for them by the entrance to the camp, Morningshade came in, purring at something Snakeheart had said. Their tails twined together for a moment, until Morningshade saw Birchfrost and they broke apart. "See you later," She said to Snakeheart, and the big reddish tom gave her a quick lick on the ear.

Morningshade caught sight of Birchfrost's disapproving stare. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"He's way too old for you!" Birchfrost exclaimed. "He was a warrior when we were kits!"

"He had just become a warrior. He isn't that old!" Morningshade glared at her. "And besides, we're just friends."

"Yes, I'm sorry," Birchfrost meowed, berating herself for sticking her nose into her sister's private business. She attempted to change the subject. "Guess what? Minnowfur says that we're going to the Gathering tonight!"

"Really?" Morningshade's eyes lit up. "Oh, wow, wait till Oakpaw sees me! He'll be so jealous!" Oakpaw was a ShadowClan apprentice who had an ongoing rivalry with Morningshade. Birchfrost didn't know how it had gotten started, considering the fact that they had only seen each other three or four times, but teasing and humiliating each other seemed to make them happy.

"He probably has his warrior name now, too," Birchfrost reminded her, but Morningshade ignored her.

"Hey, are you coming, Birchfrost?" Bouncepaw yelled, even though he was standing right next to her. He leapt around her and almost knocked over Grasspelt, who was coming into the camp.

"Yes," She called, glancing back at her sister. Morningshade had forgotten about her, and was talking to Snakeheart again. Birchfrost turned around with a sigh. "I'm coming."


	3. Chapter 3

The ground felt cool under Birchfrost's paws, damp from the rain that had fallen earlier that day. Now, however, the clouds had swept back from the full moon that stared down like an eye at the Clans gathered at Fourtrees.

Birchfrost spotted Morningshade looking around, presumably for Oakpaw. For once her sister was away from Snakeheart, as he was back guarding camp.

"Morningshade," Birchfrost said, nudging her with her shoulder. "Oakpaw's over there." She pointed with her tail to where the dark brown tabby was talking to a black she-cat.

Morningshade's eyes lit up. "Thanks," she said and bounded off, leaving Birchfrost to pad after her.

"Hey Oakpaw, guess who got their warrior name?"

"Actually it's Oakfoot now, and who would make you a warrior? You still act like a kit." Oakfoot said haughtily.

"Whatever," Morningshade said. "I'm still a better hunter than you."

"How would you even know that?"

Birchfrost sighed wearily. Now that they had got going, it would take a dog attack to stop their arguing.

The black she-cat Oakfoot had been talking to leaned towards Birchfrost. "Do they ever stop?"

"No," Birchfrost shrugged. "It's going to be awhile."

"I'm Ravenwing," she said. "Oakfoot's my brother."

"Birchfrost," she said. "I'm Morningshade's sister." Now that she thought about it, Ravenwing did look vaguely familiar. She opened her mouth to speak again, but before she could the leaders announced that the Gathering was about to begin. Birchfrost and Ravenwing turned towards the rock eagerly.

Snowstar came forward first. After making the usual announcements about prey and border patrols, he said, "We also have two new warriors, Birchfrost and Morningshade." He stepped back and the ShadowClan leader, Stonestar, strode forward.

Ravenwing flicked her on the ear with her tail. "Congratulations," she said.

"You too," Birchfrost whispered as Stonestar yowled out Ravenwing and Oakfoot's names.

Blossomstar, the WindClan leader, was next, and mentioned that there was a shortage of prey in their territory. A murmur passed through the crowd.

"Mouse-brains better not start stealing from our territory." Birchfrost heard a ThunderClan tom mutter behind her. Similar conversations were repeated by the rest of the cats whose clan shared a border with WindClan.

"Listen to them!" Ravenwing scoffed. "They care so much about their little rules. Why can't we just help each other out when prey is scarce?"

Birchfrost took a few moments to reply, taken aback by Ravenwing's words.

"It…" She stammered. "Well, it would be nice to help one another, but that just isn't really how it works."

"Yeah," Ravenwing said wearily. "I guess you're right." They listened to the rest of the announcements in silence. When the Gathering began to break apart, Ravenwing nudged her on the shoulder as she followed the rest of her Clan.

"Bye," she purred. "I hope I see you again next time."

Birchfrost paused and watched her black pelt mix in with her Clanmates'.

"I hope so too," She called, and ran to catch up with Morningshade.


End file.
